Las Vegas, once known as the city that never sleeps and a top destination for travelers, is now showing signs of strain.
A combination of rising prices, political controversies, and a dip in visitors has hit the city’s service workers hard — especially those who rely on tips to make ends meet.
Tipping Takes a Big Hit in Sin City
Tipping in Las Vegas has dropped dramatically — by as much as 50 percent, according to reports.
Workers across the city are feeling the pinch as fewer tourists mean fewer customers and, unfortunately, less money in their pockets.
Charlie Mungo, a 36-year-old tattoo artist in downtown Vegas, pointed out a bitter irony.
While President Trump’s policy of no tax on tips sounds great in theory, for him it’s meaningless without people around to give tips.
Charlie shared that he now brings in roughly $1,500 a month, losing about a third of his clients since Canadian tourists, who used to make up 30 percent of his business, stopped coming.
Who’s to Blame for the Drop in Visitors?
The reasons for Vegas’ troubles are a mixed bag. Some blame the economy and the rising costs of living and traveling.
Others point fingers at political boycotts targeting the city, especially from international tourists.
A few service workers even hold Donald Trump’s presidency responsible for the drop in global visitors.
“We’re all starting to freak out,” Charlie admitted.
Service Workers Speak Out About Shrinking Tips
Jacob Soto, a 22-year-old supervisor at Pinkbox Doughnuts, shared how his credit card tips have shrunk from about $200 a week down to $100–$150.
For him, those tips aren’t just extras — they’re a vital part of his income.
On Reddit’s r/VegasLocals forum, one cocktail waitress lamented her tip average dropping from around 80 cents per drink to just 10 cents.
Another server echoed the frustration, saying, “We are working triple what we used to and making a quarter of what we did.”
Visitor Numbers Paint a Bleak Picture
The numbers back up these stories. The Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority reported that visits to the city have fallen by over 6 percent this year.
In March, Vegas welcomed 3.39 million visitors — nearly 8 percent fewer than February’s 3.68 million.
April continued the downward trend with just over 3.3 million visitors, down 5.1 percent from the previous year.
Hotel occupancy also dropped, sitting at 82.9 percent in April compared to 85.3 percent in March 2024.
Midweek hotel occupancy was down by 2.5 percent, despite over half a million people attending conferences in the city.
June saw an even steeper decline — visitor numbers dropped 11.3 percent compared to June 2024, and international travel to Las Vegas fell by 10 percent.
